Officially, more flexibility for the State Library

As we wrote about in Monday and today’s paper, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a law giving the Board of Regents more flexibility to set hours at the State Library.

This could pave the way to reopening the State Museum, which is in the same building, on Sundays. The museum cut back its Sunday hours this year in response to budget cuts.

Here’s the press release from Cuomo’s office:

“The state library and museum is a testament to New York’s extraordinary history and should be made as accessible as possible to all those who visit our state’s capital,” Governor Cuomo said. “This law will allow for the public to visit the museum on weekends without additional costs to taxpayers. I thank Senator McDonald and Assemblywoman Nolan for sponsoring this legislation.”

Current law requires the library, which houses the state museum, to be open for at least eight hours every week day. The new law still requires the library to be open at least five days a week, but allows the Board of Regents to decide which days it will be open.

Senator Roy McDonald said, “The opportunity for local community residents and visitors to learn about New York’s rich history is very important. The museum’s many impressive displays tell a story of New York’s founding and important role in the history of this nation. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this important measure into law and I welcome visitors to our area.”

Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan said, “With tight budgets and constrained spending, it is important to continue to find ways to make our institutions of public learning, such as the state museum and library here in Albany, open and accessible to the public without extra costs. Governor Cuomo has done this today, and I applaud him for signing this bill. We must continue to look to the lessons throughout New York’s history as we rebuild the Empire State, and allowing for the state library and museum to be open to the public on weekends is a step in the right direction.”